Documenting the vast array of wild plants and creatures which can co-habit just a single one-acre residential property

Grape Hyacinth aka Musk Hyacinth

Hi, my name is Muscari neglectum. Most of my friends and admirers call me Grape Hyacinth, but some call me Musk Hyacinth. Call me what you like, just not late to dinner.

This is my close-up glamour shot. As you can see I have beautiful grape-like bulbs with a pretty white border on the bottom of each. I have a lovely musk fragrance. Wildlife are attracted to me. I flower in early spring on this acre in Texas, but I need lots of sun and very little shade. My leaves nourish my bulbs and I’m self-fertilizing. You should see me when I bloom under trees and bushes – absolutely breathtaking. Since I’m independent, perennial, beautiful and fragrant, I would make a lovely addition to your property. I take care of myself so I ask little of anyone other than you love and admiration.

If I wasn’t already fabulous enough, get this: parts of me are edible and I also have some other uses. In Europe, my blossoms are used as a flavoring and my bulbs are boiled and eaten. Some of your human experts claim that my bulbs can be poisonous to you if not boiled, so be careful. I am also used as starch for ironing. My flowers are edible and can add a wonderful scented flavor to your food.

Here is a photo of members of my genus standing around. Our family name is Hyacinthaceae. We are from the Mediterranean but have migrated to other places. In the United States we live in a vast area from Southern New England to Michigan to Florida to New Mexico.

My name “Muscari neglectum” is Greek and means “musk” and “slight/overlooked”.

As you can see in this picture, the bees like to pursue me.

Look at him, he can’t keep his pollen baskets off me!

In this picture I’m still a bit active but I have a few “buns in the oven.” My seed pods will emerge before long.

Here my fruit are exposed. I will do the best I can to further propagate myself here on this acre in Texas. Here’s to my success!